CANSO — With a new operations chief now in place, Maritime Launch Services says Spaceport Nova Scotia has reached a “pivotal moment” in its bid to become Canada’s first and only commercial rocket launch site.
“2026 will be an exciting year as we prepare the site for Canada’s first orbital launch in 2027,” said Sarah McLean, the company’s vice-president of corporate affairs, in an email interview last week following the hiring of Melissa Quinn as vice-president of spaceport operations.
Maritime Launch announced Jan. 5 that Quinn has been brought on to lead spaceport operations as the long-planned Canso site moves from development and demonstration into operational readiness.
According to the company, Quinn joins Maritime Launch on secondment from strategic partner MDA Space and brings more than a decade of international experience in spaceport operations, launch licensing and commercial space infrastructure. Most recently, she served as head of spaceport at Spaceport Cornwall in the United Kingdom.
In its news release announcing the hire, Maritime Launch said Quinn led the delivery of facilities and operations that supported the United Kingdom’s first licensed orbital launch attempt, including work related to regulatory approvals, sustainability planning and community engagement.
McLean said the addition of a dedicated operations lead reflects a shift in focus for the company as regulatory, technical and financial pieces begin to align.
“This is a transition from development into operations,” she said. “Melissa’s role is about readiness – building the team, the systems and the operational framework required to support safe, licensed and sustainable orbital launches from Nova Scotia.”
Quinn will be based in Nova Scotia and will work closely with federal regulators, local partners and surrounding communities as launch preparations advance, the company said.
In the same release, Maritime Launch president and CEO Stephen Matier described the hire as arriving at a critical stage for the project.
“Melissa brings exactly the kind of operational leadership and global experience needed at this stage of our journey,” Matier said in the release. “Her track record in delivering licensed spaceport infrastructure and building high-performing teams will be instrumental as we prepare for historic orbital missions from Nova Scotia.”
The hiring follows a series of developments for Maritime Launch late last year, including a suborbital demonstration flight from the Canso site in November and significant financial backing from Export Development Canada and MDA Space.
Those developments have shifted attention toward construction, integration and regulatory coordination ahead of a first orbital launch targeted for 2027.
In the announcement, the company said Quinn’s mandate includes overseeing launch operations, safety systems and licensing requirements as the site moves toward operational status.
In the same release, Quinn said her focus will be on translating planning and infrastructure into safe, repeatable launch activity.
“The successful delivery of spaceport facilities is fundamental to achieving a safe and historic launch,” she said, adding that her approach emphasizes rigorous safety standards, sustainability practices and community engagement.
Maritime Launch has said Spaceport Nova Scotia is being developed as a dual-use facility intended to support both commercial and government missions, including Canada’s emerging sovereign launch capability.
For a project that has spent nearly a decade navigating environmental reviews, regulatory uncertainty and shifting global conditions, McLean said the hiring marks a narrowing of focus.
“This is about moving into execution,” she said. “We’re now building toward launch operations.”
